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The Scriptorium

Which High Priest?

If you're looking to some priest for rest, make sure he can provide it.

Hebrews 5 (2)

Introduction
The writer’s excursus into the subject of the priesthood may seem a bit tedious to 21stcentury readers. But it is absolutely crucial to his argument, as he intends to show that the office of priesthood to which Jesus has been appointed far exceeds the office of the Levitical priesthood. And at any rate, why would we want to return to seek the intercession of this temporary office, since it was only ever filled by weak and fallible men? 

Meditate on Zechariah 3.1-5.

Read Hebrews 5.3-5.

Think it through.
1.  Certain Hebrew Christians were drawing back from their confidence in Christ and returning to the fold of their Jewish families and friends. Jewish religion was presided over by priests, which meant that, in effect, the readers of this epistle were seeking rest in men, rather than in God, just as their ancient forebears had sought rest in the wilderness, rather than in the land of promise. They needed to remember that their priests were no different from them in certain respects. Such as (v. 3)? Why should remembering this cause them to think twice about forsaking Christ for their Jewish priests (Heb. 2.14, 15)? Whenever we draw back from our confession of Christ because of the fear of men, we’re doing the same thing the first readers of this book were doing. How should the message to them instruct us?

2.  It was one of the great sins of Jeroboam I to allow men to become priests from every tribe in Israel, rather than from the descendants of Aaron alone (1 Kgs. 12.25-33). Those priests clearly could not please God; instead, they led the nation of Israel into all manner of idolatry and rebellion against the Lord. Priests could only be appointed by God from the descendants of Aaron. That made the priesthood a very exclusive calling. Christ was also called “to become High Priest.” But what was different about His priesthood from that of the Aaronic priests? The priests to whom the first readers of the book of Hebrews were returning were sons of Aaron. What about Christ? The writer has already made this point (Heb. 1.5). Why is he making it again?

Meditate.
“The one receiving appointment from God is the lawful high priest; this was the way Aaron, the first high priest, received the honor. The divine apostle said this, of course, not intending to inform us now of the norms for high priesthood, but to lay the groundwork for a treatment of the Lord’s high priesthood.” Theodoret of Cyr (393-466 AD)

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.” 
Revelation 5.9, 10

Lord Jesus, my great High Priest, I need You to intercede for me today so that…

Pray Psalm 132.8-18.
God will not turn His face away from His Anointed King and High Priest. Thank the Lord that Jesus has fulfilled His covenant and testimony, and has exalted us to reign as kings and priests and saints with Him forever!

Psalm 132.8-10, 13-18 (Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Arise, O Lord, come to Your resting place; 
Your holy presence meet with us in might. 
Clothe us with righteousness in Jesus’ grace, 
And we will shout to Your divine delight!
For David’s sake, turn not away Your face, 
But look upon us in Your holy light.

God dwells among us, and He will forever, 
To meet our needs and clothe us with His grace.
He has to us sent Jesus Christ, our Savior, 
And made us His eternal resting-place.
His foes are banished from His presence ever, 
But we shall reign with Him before His face.

T. M. Moore

For a better understanding of the book of Hebrews, and all the books of the Bible, order a copy of the workbook, God’s Covenant, from our online store. The studies in this workbook will show you how the parts of the Bible connect with one another to tell the story of God’s redemption and glory (click here). To learn more about Christ in His exaltation, order the book, The Kingship of Jesus (click here).

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
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